Slippers and Thieves Special Edition

by Christina Bauer

  “A while ago.”

  “You don’t have wings,” says Goldi.

  “I’m aware. It’s my back.”

  Goldi’s upper lip curls, as if she’s being asked to scoop up sewage with her bare hands. “I suppose I should introduce you. Everyone, this is Elle. She doesn’t have any wings and we don’t know why she’s here—”

  “I heard it’s a shifter thing,” offers Winter. Every school has a group of popular kids who can interrupt anyone, including the Principal. At West Lake Prep, that’s the Three Seasons.

  “Huh.” Goldi stares at me and shivers. “Moving on. What I really wanted to lead off with today is our newest student. Everyone please join me in welcoming Jacoby the dark elf!”

  My stomach sinks. I quickly scan the windows and doors, trying to see if there’s an easy escape route. No such luck.

  I cross my fingers under my desk. Maybe this isn’t my Jacoby. There are a ton of dark elves running around, right? It doesn’t mean that the guy I’ve had confusing feelings about since forever is going to walk into my classroom at West Lake Prep.

  Yet sure enough, it’s my Jacoby who steps across the threshold.

  Oh, crap.

  Jacoby slides into the open seat next to mine. “Hello, Elle.”

  The principal starts going on and on about the various types of fae, including fairies, pixies and elves. She then talks about how elves are more important than everyone else. I pay scant attention at best. Why?

  My day has just gotten worse.

  It’s not only that Jacoby is here. Blackaverre just appeared at the front of the classroom as well. I scan the other faces. Does anyone else see her? No. So that’s good. It also means she’s still my fairy godmother, but that’s beside the point.

  “What are you looking at?” asks Jacoby.

  “Nothing,” I counter. “And what are you doing here?”

  “Learning. It’s very important, don’t you think?”

  “I’m paying attention to class, thank you very much.”

  Winter starts whispering to Jacoby, which thankfully distracts the guy. Meanwhile, Blackaverre starts miming someone walking around super primly with her face scrunched up. Okay, so that’s Marchesa. Then my fairy godmother starts making soundless pow noises while showing her hands blowing apart.

  I mouth one name. Marchesa?

  Blackaverre shakes her head. That’s a no.

  Another silent word follows. Store? I ask.

  This time, Blackaverre nods. Yes.

  In other words, there’s trouble at Cynder Mercantile. Blackaverre is a classic fairy template, so it’s possible she’s lying. Even so, that’s not a risk I can take. And in truth, I’ve been worried about Cynder for ages.

  Time to face my past.

  10

  Alec

  I stand in the principals’ office. The room supports all three of our mini-schools, but only the caster leader is here. Her name is Babs, and she’s the only thing keeping me from what I want this morning.

  And what I desire most is to check on Elle.

  I shoot Babs my most winning smile. “I just need to deliver something to the school’s fae wing.” Although my family is pretty tight with the school, even I can’t waltz into the fae area without a hall pass. Sure, I could cast a spell… but that’s technically forbidden. All of which is why I save it for occasions when my natural charm can’t get me what I want.

  In other words, I don’t cast spells at school very often.

  Babs keeps scribbling away at the document before her. “Shouldn’t you be in class?”

  “I’m on study break. Just need to pop over for a moment.” Mostly because Elle had little creases in her forehead this morning. That means she’s really worried about something. I simply must make sure she’s all right. Not that I’ll announce this to Babs. There’s enough of a spotlight on me already.

  “And why should I let you go?”

  “It’s about the Autumn Masquerade. I have plans. Big plans.”

  Babs looks up from her writing. “You haven’t invited anyone?”

  Normally, a principal wouldn’t care who I invite to the Autumn Masquerade, but I’m no typical student. I happen to know for a fact that the tabloids will pay four thousand human dollars for information on my Autumn Masquerade ball choice. Mostly because everyone thinks it will predict my lady for the Glass Slipper Ball.

  “I’ve my eye on Winter. Don’t tell anyone.”

  “Oh, I won’t,” says Babs. But the sneaky gleam in her eyes says she totally will. The principal picks up a hall pass from her desktop and hands it over. “Have fun.”

  I saunter out of the room with my hall pass in hand. It’s a short walk over to the fae wing. Sure enough, I have to show my pass to the entrance guardians.

  Not a problem.

  Once inside, I slip on my sunglasses. I’m not being a douche, either. The walls here are so bright, you can damage your retinas. I quickly find Bry’s classroom. I glance through the small window atop the neon door. From where I stand, I have an angled view to the students, while no one inside can see me.

  The fae principal, Goldi, flits before the class. It’s a group of students that include…

  Hold on.

  That Jacoby guy is here.

  It’s the dark fae who interrupted my lunch with Bry over the summer. After the excitement with zombie-mummies and Egypt, I’d forgotten all about him.

  What’s he doing sitting next to Elle?

  The principal fawns all over Jacoby, too. Not a surprise. Elves are the top of the fae food chain. There are a few exceptions, like the Queen of Hearts. But in general, elves are a big deal. We only have four in the school.

  Jacoby smiles at Elle; she blushes. An angry feeling winds through my soul, and it has an ugly name. Jealousy.

  My phone buzzes. I check the screen.

  CallMeElle: remember our dare? Cynder Mercantile?

  I exhale. Jacoby may be grinning at Elle, but she’s thinking of me. Some of my jealousy unwinds. I type extra quickly.

  MagicMan: absolutely

  CallMeElle: can we go today

  No question what my answer is here.

  MagicMan: U got it

  I force myself to exhale. Whoever this Jacoby guy is, Elle is taking me to see her parents’ store, not him. That’s got to stand for something.

  Because with every passing day, I’m realizing one thing more and more. Elle is my everything.

  11

  Elle

  The rest of my school day, all the fae girls fawn over Jacoby. I get that he’s an elf and everything, but sheesh. The Three Seasons encircle him the most, which is fine with me.

  All in all, Jacoby is one too many things to focus on today. My real worry is Cynder Mercantile. That place is protected by the Cask of Wonders. Every day, Marchesa can open the magical container and get whatever the store needs. What could possibly have happened to cause trouble?

  My last class of the day is fairy studies. Basically, it’s yet another class about how everything in the Faerie Lands is ranked. Once again, I learn how elves are on the top of the social pyramid Jacoby gets asked to step to the front of the class and describe why he’s so awesome.

  It’s about at fun as it sounds.

  I’m thrilled when my phone vibrates again. Technically, handhelds aren’t allowed in school. That said, the teachers don’t really understand how they work, being that it’s human tech and all. It took a while for me to figure out that everyone uses phones despite the ban. They’re just super careful about it. Which is why I slip my cell onto my lap before checking the screen.

  MagicMan: meet up at the front door?

  CallMeElle: for what?

  MagicMan: to walk over to your store

  My eyes almost pop out of my head. Alec is a great guy, but if I meet up with him and then walk away from school together? I might as well sign off on any hope of privacy. My life would be picked apart by the tabloids for weeks. There’s no way I’m explaining all that
in a text, so I go for the easy way out.

  CallMeElle: how about we meet at TP-CP? 3:30?

  MagicMan: will do

  The Turtle Pond is close to Cynder anyway, so that will work out well. I spend the rest of the school day thinking through what could be wrong. Perhaps someone cursed Cynder. My thoughts then turn to the animates. Harvest the scarecrow… Kokkivo and the phoenixes… and even Doc Eight… None of them would ever turn on my parents, would they?

  At last, the magical bells ring, signaling the end of class. I hightail it over to the central hall. Bry is already there with Knox and their pack. Their faces are all flushed.

  “Hey, Bry!” I call. As I close in, I lower my voice. “What happened with you guys?”

  “We had pack bonding this afternoon.”

  “Pack bonding?”

  “The principal transported us to the Adirondacks and we all run around for a while.” Bry fans herself with her hands. “I suppose we’re still overheated.”

  “Sure, that makes sense.”

  Here’s the thing. Bry could have died many times over during the past months. And I am so happy things worked out for her. But if I’m being honest with myself, it’s also tough. I wish I had someone like Knox. Inside my soul, that old barrier looms ever larger. The hurt from my parents sits on one side, like a monster ready to pounce if I lower my defensive wall even an inch. Somewhere along the way, it even become more than a single barrier. There’s now a fortress inside me. It’s too big to tear down by this point. And ultimately? That’s my choice.

  When I next speak to Bry, it’s as if I stand on one side of my castle wall, peering at her through a thin window. “I’ve got some running around to do after school. See you back at the apartment?” Bry and I now share a new place together.

  Bry takes in a long breath. “Sure. Is everything okay?”

  Not for the first time, I curse that crazy power of smell that werewolves have. “I’m fine. Honestly. See you by dinnertime.”

  Hollywood steps up. He’s one of the more personable weres. “Did someone say dinner, your Majesty? Where are we all eating?”

  With that question, both Knox and Bry are surrounded with excited shifters. Everyone wants to share a meal with the equivalent of their king and queen.

  I sneak off for Central Park.

  It’s 3:30 PM on the nose when I approach the pond. Alec is already there and in his incognito mode. I wave as I approach.

  “Hey!” I call.

  Alec does that thing where his smile lights up his face. It really isn’t fair, how handsome he is. My legs get a little wobbly beneath me. “Elle.” There’s a real sense of contentment as he speaks my name. I can’t help but blush.

  “My parents’ store isn’t far from here. Thanks again for doing this.”

  “Not a problem.” He reaches into the pockets of his leather jacket and pulls out a handful of pink diamonds. “I got some special gems for the occasion. Found a new spell for us, too.”

  I kick at the ground. “You didn’t have to do that.”

  “I’m a wizard. Any excuse to look through spell books is like caster Christmas.” Every line of Alec’s face softens with joy as he says the words caster Christmas.

  “In any case,” continues Alec, “the best spell for today may be an obfuscation enchantment.”

  I tilt my head. “What’s that? A disguise?”

  “Not exactly. I looked into spells that would change our appearance. But those are tricky. Some fairies are immune to disguises. And there are invisibility spells, but those have the same risks. Overall, those are low level spells. Not too powerful. But obfuscation? That’s high level magic. It forces anyone to simply look away when we’re near. We’re not invisible so much as always avoided. Does that make sense?”

  “Yes. I knew you’d figure out something great.”

  “For you?” Alec winks. “Anything.”

  And do I blush again when Alec says the word anything? You bet I do.

  On reflex, I check around. There are some humans far away; they won’t notice Alec’s magic.

  “Ready?” asks Alec.

  “You know it.”

  Alec holds the stones in his hand. The pink diamonds emit tendrils of colored smoke from between his fingertips. The mist rolls out from his fist to cover both me and Alec.

  A moment later, the two of us appear in black and white, like an old movie. It’s way strange. And cool.

  I hold up my arm. “This is amazing.”

  “Thank you.” Alec offers me his arm. “Shall we?”

  “Let’s.” I wrap my fingers around his forearm, and my hand sears with excitement where we touch. And this is just through his leather jacket. I can’t imagine what it would be like to brush my fingertips across his bare skin.

  At this point, I realize I’ve been rubbing Alec’s forearm in a slow rhythm. It takes an effort, but I make myself stop. Forearm rubbing is not something friends do. And that’s all Alec and I can ever be. Buddies.

  It’s easy to ignore the little voice inside me that wants something more. Like the rest of my heart, it’s trapped inside that inner castle which holds all my pain.

  And staying friends with Alec certainly won’t bring the walls down.

  At this point, I’m not sure anything will.

  12

  Elle

  It’s a short walk over to Cynder, but it’s sure a wacky one.

  Humans stride around us. Magicorum do too. Each time, folks simply sidestep me and Alec without so much as a glance in our direction. It’s an intricate dance of magic. Combine that with how Alec and I are black and white while the world around us stays in color, and I almost forget the serious reason I’m meeting up with Alec today.

  Almost.

  Minutes later, Alec and I stand before Cynder Mercantile. The store’s brick exterior is covered in graffiti. The door hangs cockeyed on its hinges. One solid push and you could get inside.

  Who leaves opened doors in the city?

  When I next speak, my voice comes out as a choked whisper. “This isn’t how I left the place.” Letting go of Alec’s arm, I hug my elbows. “Can you cast a detection spell? There could be squatters in here… or worse.”

  “Absolutely.” Alec reaches into his bomber jacket once more. This time, he pulls out a handful of rubies. The gems flare inside his palm. Red smoke surrounds his fist. The mist whips away from Alec to slide past the slightly opened door.

  Alec closes his eyes. I’ve heard how gem casters do their magic. Alec is listening to the stones talk to him. After a few moments, he turns to me. “There are serious wards on this place. No humans are inside. I do detect one fairy, though.”

  “That’s probably Blackaverre. She’s my fairy godmother.”

  “You have a fairy godmother?”

  “I didn’t say she was a great one.” I smile, but it’s not one of the happy variety. “She’s the one who warned me to come over today.” I shake my head. “It’s just… it looks like this place has been closed for a long time. Why would Blackaverre warn me now?”

  Alec moves to stand before me. Normally, this guy is all glib charm. Now his face looks deadly serious. “We don’t have to go inside if you don’t want to.”

  “Thanks.” I grip my elbows more tightly. “But I must check it out.”

  Alec’s gaze turn even more intense, if that were possible. “I’ll be right beside you.”

  It takes a force of will for me to turn and face the door once more. Raising my arm, I press my palm against the broken entrance. The wooden panel swings open with a long creak.

  I step inside.

  The store used to be all bright light and packed shelves. Now the windows are covered in graffiti. Shadows fill the room. The shelves are all empty and covered in dust. The check-out counter lopes to one side, like it will tumble over any second. Water has clearly been seeping onto the floor. The scent of mold is everywhere.

  My head turns foggy with shock. “But Doc Eight told me things were fine.”<
br />
  Alec’s hand glows red as he fires up another spell. “This place has been deserted for three years.”

  “That’s when I ran away.” My body turns numb as I step toward the back door. This is the entrance to the warehouse.

  Once again, the panel swings open with the slightest touch. Inside, the place is just as empty as the store. One shelf holds a pair of glass slipper figurines and a single cracked wooden pumpkin. Those were some of the very items I delivered to the L Center all those years ago, on the day I met Alec. I scoop the items up and put them in my purse.

  They’re all I have left of Cynder.

  Within my soul, the walls of my internal fortress thicken under this sight. How could anyone allow this to happen? Didn’t the animates care? Wasn’t the place safe?

  I reach out and take Alec’s hand. Some part of me is shocked he doesn’t pull away. After all, that’s what happened to my parents. They vanished. So did their legacy. But Alec stays beside me. His thumb moves over the back of my hand in slow and soothing arcs.

  A knot of sorrow tightens in my throat. “My family lived upstairs,” I say.

  “Do you want to see it?” asks Alec.

  “Yes.”

  “Then I’ll be with you.” He gives my hand a squeeze.

  I keep moving forward, but it’s as if I’m sleepwalking. The only thing tethering me to reality is the touch of Alec’s skin. We make the long march up the stairs. I check the kitchen and bedrooms first. All stand stripped to the walls. The pictures, furniture and memories—everything is gone.

  “I’d like a moment alone, please.”

  “Sure,” says Alec.” I’ll check out the office.”

  I step around the bedroom in slow circles, trying to force myself to remember what things looked like. So many memories are already fading. It’s almost too much.

  Don’t dwell on it. Move on.